c1000-1500: Crime and Punishment in Medieval England- Anglo Saxon England

Question 1

When was the period of Anglo-Saxon England?

Answer 1

Period before 1066-before the Normans invaded

Question 2

How did the role of the king in crime and punishment change during the Anglo-Saxon period?

Answer 2

The power and influence of the king over crime and punishment grew. Penalties were increasingly decided by the king rather than local communities. The king relied on advisers to help him govern the country, but he held overall authority.

Question 3

How did the role of the Christian Church in crime and punishment during the Anglo-Saxon period?

Answer 3

The role of the Christian Church increased. The Church was concerned with giving those who had committed crimes opportunities to save their souls.

Question 4

How did the use of punishments during the Anglo-Saxon period change?

Answer 4

The use of punishments, including capital punishment, increased. This was intended to help boost the visible power and authority of the king across the land.

Question 5

What was the King’s peace?

Answer 5

Anglo-Saxons believed that it was the king’s duty to take care of law and order,so people could go about their everyday lives knowing that the law would be upheld.

Question 6

Describe the social structure.

Answer 6

Across Britain there was a three-tiered social structure of nobles, freemen and serfs. All three classes were subject to the king’s authority. The king ruled in close connection with the noble families. Nobles did well out of this social structure and they played an important role in keeping it going by backing laws that protected their interests. In return for their support they were given land by the king. Actions that threatened this social structure were classed as crimes.

Question 7

Define treason.

Answer 7

Betraying the king-for example by helping his enemies or plotting to kill or replace him.

Question 8

What was a noble?

Answer 8

They were given land by the king-wealthy and powerful. Some can advise and persuade the king when making new laws.They could appoint shire reeves to ensure people follow the king’s law. Responsible for keeping the king’s peace in their local area.

Question 9

What was a freemen?

Answer 9

They could rent or own a small piece of land. No say in making the law.

Question 10

What was a serf?

Answer 10

They owned no land-worked for others for very low pay. Had no say in making the law

Question 11

Define crimes against the person

Answer 11

Crimes, like assault or murder, that cause physical harm to another person

Question 12

Define crimes against property

Answer 12

Crimes, like theft, robbery and arson, that involve taking or damaging something that belongs to another person.

Question 13

Which crimes were most common in Anglo-Saxon towns and why?

Answer 13

In larger communities there were more opportunities to commit both crimes against the person and crimes against property. There were lots of people in close contact, and it was easier to get away with a crime in a busy town where people did not all know each other well. Also the concentration of trade goods and money meant that there were plenty of valuable items to steal.

Question 14

Describe crime and enforcement in Anglo-Saxon villages

Answer 14

Most people still lived in villages where everyone knew one another, making it easy to identify and catch a criminal. Local communities were expected to take collective responsibility for upholding the law; and each area had a reeve who carried out decisions made by local courts.

Question 15

What is collective responsibility?

Answer 15

Being responsible for the actions of other members of your group. In a village community, if somebody broke the law it was up to everyone in the village to take action.

Question 16

What was a reeve?

Answer 16

A local official, appointed from the community.

Question 17

Describe crime and enforcement in the Church

Answer 17

The institution of the Church was very powerful and had particular responsibility for stopping moral crimes and crimes against the Church. The Church punished those who broke Church laws, for example, by stealing Church property.

Question 18

Define moral crimes

Answer 18

Actions that didn’t physically harm anyone, or their property, but didn’t match up to society’s views on decent behaviour: for example having sex outside marriage, or not sticking to the rules and customs of the Church.

Question 19

What did Anglo-Saxons believe about justice and how society should be organised?

Answer 19

They believed that the role of the local community in policing the behaviour of others was very important. They also believed that God was the final judge of innocence or guilt and the status and position of different groups should be clear in law.

Question 20

What was a tithing?

Answer 20

By the 10th century, English shires were divided into smaller areas called hundreds. Each hundred was divided into ten tithings. All the men aged 12 or over were responsible for the behaviour of all the others.

Question 21

What was a hue and cry?

Answer 21

When a crime was committed, the victim could shout for justice and everyone who heard was expected to drop what they were doing and help catch the criminal and deliver justice.

Question 22

What role did oaths play in deciding someone’s innocence?

Answer 22

Anglo-Saxon justice relied heavily on religion when deciding someone was guilty or not. Hearings took place in public and the accused could swear their innocence under oath. They could also call upon others in the community to support their claims as oath helpers. In most cases the accused walked free. This may seem ineffective but in such small tight-knit communities it would be very hard for a criminal to get away with a repeat offence. If someone was a repeat offender or was caught red-handed then they weren’t given the option of swearing an oath of innocence

Question 23

What were codes of law?

Answer 23

The Anglo-Saxon Kings formally issues codes of law. With each new code, new laws could be introduced, existing laws could be altered and laws that were being ignored could be strengthened

Question 24

What were trials by ordeal?

Answer 24

In cases where there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that a person was guilty, the Anglo-Saxon Church had an important role to play. The accused could be tried by the Church authorities in a ‘trial by ordeal’. This was seen as a way of testing whether the accused was guilty or innocent in the eyes of God The effect the ordeal had on the accused was seen as God’s judgement.

Question 25

What was trial by hot water/hot iron?

Answer 25

For a trial by hot water/hot iron the accused hand was burned then bandaged, if the burn healed well then this was seen as a sign that God judged the person to be innocent

Question 26

What was wergild?

Answer 26

Murder was sometimes punished by fines paid to the victim’s family. These were seen as compensation for the loss of life. The fine was called the wergild-which translates as ‘man price’.It was paid directly to a victim’s family and the system was intended to reduce blood feuds. The fines payable were decided by social structure.

Question 27

What was a corporal punishment?

Answer 27

A range of punishments that caused harm or pain to the body-including having body parts removed or being beaten. It was meant to act as a deterrent, to stop other people committing similar crimes. Punishments like eye gouging sound harsh but they were seen as a more lenient alternative to the death penalty. The people who survived these punishments were intended to serve as a reminder to people of the consequences of a crime.

Question 28

What was retribution?

Answer 28

A severe punishment, meant to match the severity of the crime

Question 29

What was a deterrent?

Answer 29

A punishment that is frightening or painful and designed to put other people off committing the same crime

Question 30

What were the stocks and pillory?

Answer 30

Public punishments using the stocks or pillory were a combination of physical pain and discomfort and public humiliation. The pillory secured the arms and neck (‘catchneck’) Stocks secured the ankles. They were placed outside, usually at the centre of a town or village in full view of the neighbours. Those receiving the penalty would be exposed to bad weather sometimes for several days. Public might add to humiliation by throwing rubbish or verbally abusing them